New Mexico could face serious economic fallout if a plan to shift control of national park sites from the federal government to individual states moves forward.
That’s according to a new report released this week by Climate Power and discussed during a press call with U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich.
The report estimates New Mexico could lose at least $177 million in economic output under the Trump administration’s proposal to offload park units to state control.
Heinrich, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, says the plan wouldn’t expand access—it would do the opposite.
He warned it could overwhelm state budgets, force higher park entrance fees, and reduce visitor numbers—especially in rural communities that rely on tourism.
Congress members from both sides of the aisle came together to remove the plan from the just-passed reconciliation bill.
But Heinrich said during the call that the administration still seeks to shrink the national park service by 75 percent.
"By transferring quote. Sort of 'small p' parks to the states, the Trump administration and its supporters aren't giving states more power or saving taxpayer money," Heinrich said.
"They'll be cutting off your access to public land and devastating state economies in the process. Overwhelming state budgets. Dismantling the systems that keep public lands running. We know that the National Park system units are powerful economic drivers of our local and state economies.”
New Mexico saw 2.3 million visits to national park sites in 2023.
According to a statement from Heinrich, Those visits generated nearly $150 million in spending and supported more than 1,800 jobs.
The senator pointed out that New Mexico alone faces a $230 million maintenance backlog on federal park lands.
